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Canada Faces Potential Election Battle

By

Chip Cummins And

Nirmala Menon

Updated March 15, 2011 6:05 p.m. ET

OTTAWA—As the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper prepares to unveil its annual budget next week, opposition officials are weighing whether to force federal elections—a possible rebuke to a series of alleged ethical lapses by Mr. Harper's minority government but a risky move amid recent polls that show his Conservative party within reach of a majority.

A parliamentary committee convenes Wednesday to consider a ruling by the speaker of the House of Commons, the elected lower house of parliament, which found evidence...